Chapter 102 – The Dhampir in a Cardboard Box
Tension lingered in the air like a storm cloud refusing to pass.
Azazel let out a silent sigh. He knew he had crossed a line—one he probably shouldn't have touched, no matter how deep his curiosity about those Sacred Gears ran.
"…S-Scary…"
A small voice echoed from the corner of the clubroom.
Everyone turned toward the source. A cardboard box in the corner gave a suspicious wiggle, and from a gap in the flaps, a pair of teary eyes peeked out.
The heavy mood instantly deflated.
Rias Gremory pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a long sigh. That voice, that ridiculous hiding spot… there was only one person it could be.
"Gasper…"
Sure enough, the one inside the box was none other than her Bishop—Gasper Vladi.
A shut-in dhampir with crippling social anxiety, a mild identity crisis, and a concerning obsession with women's clothing.
Ever since he'd been rescued from the Khaos Brigade, he had practically fused with his beloved cardboard box—treating it as if it were the last sanctuary in a cruel and unforgiving world.
Even dragging him out by force was futile. He'd just vanish in the blink of an eye, thanks to his Sacred Gear—Forbidden Balor View, a time-based ability that made escaping almost too easy.
In the end, Rias gave up and had the entire box transported to the clubroom—contents and all.
"Gasper," she said gently, walking closer, "this isn't the battlefield anymore. No one here's going to hurt you. Won't you come out? Just for a little while?"
"Nooo! It's scary out there!" he wailed from inside. "There's the Fallen Angel Governor, your terrifying fiancé, and even Excalibur users! I'm not coming out!!"
"I—"
Rias nearly snapped. Since when had her fiancé become part of the horror lineup?
"Useless dhampir," Koneko muttered flatly from her spot—perched casually on Akira's lap.
"UWAAAHH! Even Koneko-chan's bullying me now!"
Loud sobbing erupted from the box.
Honestly, for a vampire who'd lived a fair number of years, Gasper's wailing was pitiful enough to make even the undead cover their ears.
Rias sighed again, deeply.
Was every single member of her peerage some kind of emotional project?
With Akira's help, she'd managed to crack open the hearts of Akeno, Koneko, and Yuuto.
And now… this box-loving vampire was the last hurdle. Somehow, it felt like the most annoying one.
"Akira," she finally asked, turning toward him, "you have any ideas? Just one would do."
After all, this man had already helped three of her closest retainers grow emotionally stronger. Maybe it was time to let him handle this one, too. Delegation was part of leadership, wasn't it?
"Ideas? Hey, reprogramming someone's personality isn't like fixing a bug in code. I'm not some god who can solve everything."
"But look at your track record. Akeno, Koneko, Yuuto… You're basically a miracle worker at this point. Just one more left, right?"
"Don't make it sound like none of this is your responsibility. They're your peerage."
"Well, I belong to you now. So your problems are my problems—and vice versa. Isn't that what family means?"
"Only on paper."
"Doesn't matter."
"…When did you get this shameless? Who taught you this?"
"Hehe~"
Rias flashed a smug, blushing smile. She was clearly embarrassed—but pushed through anyway.
She'd read online that the best way to soften up a stubborn boyfriend was either to act cute… or offer him something irresistible.
With this many people around, she'd opted for the first strategy.
Akeno, who had been silently observing, looked visibly entertained. This was the first time she'd seen Rias like this—and it was weirdly cute.
Akira, meanwhile, could only sigh. He was weak to pretty girls being clingy. This was clearly emotional blackmail.
His eyes drifted toward the box.
"If you want to fix a coward, there's only one way. Make him face what he fears. Force him to stare straight into the abyss until he gets used to it."
The box trembled violently. Gasper had clearly heard that.
Even though he'd been immobilized the night before, he hadn't been unconscious.
He'd seen—through the cracks in a boarded window—what Akira had done to the Khaos Brigade.
He wasn't human. He wasn't a devil.
He was something far more terrifying.
"Alright, Koneko. Grab some supplies. We're gonna help the useless vampire conquer his fears."
"Roger, Senpai."
Koneko hopped off Akira's lap and, out of nowhere, produced a massive bulb of garlic.
Rias flinched.
That wasn't normal. Koneko had definitely been corrupted by someone.
"G-Garlic? Koneko-chan! No! Stay back!"
From the slit in the cardboard, Gasper's panicked eyes locked onto the deadly vegetable, and he immediately scrambled—still inside his box—toward the opposite wall. It moved with surprising speed and agility, as if the box had sprouted legs.
And somehow… the box didn't break at all.
Sturdy craftsmanship.
"Gasper-kun~ garlic's good for your health, you know~" Koneko said sweetly.
"NOOOOOO!!"
Azazel, watching the bizarre scene unfold, palmed his forehead.
"You realize that's a vampire, right...? You're gonna kill him if this keeps up."
"Xenovia, you too," Akira called out. "He's scared of you, right? Perfect opportunity to help him overcome it."
"Huh? Me? Got it!"
Xenovia jumped up energetically, and with a grin, raised her hand. A magical seal formed in the air.
From it, she pulled out a massive sword, bound with divine chains.
Durandal.
One of the Seven Holy Swords.
The moment it left the seal, the atmosphere cracked with pressure.
Even as a reincarnated devil, Xenovia was still able to wield it. After the peace agreement, both she and Asia had been granted dispensation from Michael himself to use holy powers without the usual backlash.
And now, that very sword—the sacred weapon of destruction—was being unleashed...
...just to scare one cowardly dhampir out of a box.
"UWAAAAHHH!! HOLY SWORD!! I'M GONNA BE PURIFIED!!"
Gasper's scream rang through the clubroom as Xenovia lunged toward him with a full overhead swing.
Durandal cleaved through the air with raw, explosive might.
The box exploded into wooden shrapnel—
—but Gasper?
He was miraculously unharmed.
Not a single scratch.
Maybe that was the real Sacred Gear all along.
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